Measuring device



" May 17, 1938. F. G. BLOC'H 87 MEASURING DEVICE Filed June 2, 19 36 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 tHljlljlEiTfiii!iliiiiliiliiliililiiiiliillllllltime? 'HIIIIIIIIIIllllllfillllllllllllllll Rday 17,1938.'

F.G.BLQCH MEASURING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May I 7, 1938 PATENT oFFics IMEASURING DEVICE Franz Georg Bloch, Leitmeritz, Czechoslovakia, assignor to Rota S. A., La Chaux-de-Fonds,

Switzerland Application June '2, 1936. Serial No. 83,145 In Czechoslovakia October 29, 1935 14: Claims. (CL WP-367) This invention relates to means for amplifying the change of position of a measuring element oi low torque and provides mechanism whereby the movement of a measuring element may be indicated on any desired scale independently of the torque of the measuring element.

A principal object oithe invention is to provide means whereby the movement of a measur ing element of relatively low torque may be utilized for indication or control on any desired scale and to any desired extent without limitation by the torque of the measuring element.

This object and other useful objects are accomplished by utilizing the movement of the i5 measuring element to determine the extent of movement of an independently energized indicating or controlling element.

The invention will be more particularly described for the purpose of illustration in its embodiment in a bimetallic thermometer capable of use as a clinical thermometer. Bimetallic thermometers with 'a temperature-sensitive element consistingof a spiral or helical spring of known construction, and in which the movement of the temperature-sensitive element istransmitted to a pointer and a dial, have been, in use heretofore as household and industrialthermometers. By means of the invention the bimetallic thermometer has been given the smallest possible construction, the high degree of accuracy, and

the high degree of responsiveness which is necessary and essential for a thermometer for clinical purposes. Themain dimculty to besoived is the fact that the temperature-sensitive element has to be housed in a container of very small proportions and that these proportions are subject to definite limits as the shaft of this thermometer must be adapted to the particular requirements of a thermometer for clinical purposes. Consequently the. torque of the temperature-sensitive element must necessarily be small owing to the reduced size of this" element, and this minimum amount of torque does not allow any additional load. On the other hand, in the case of a thermometer for clinical purposes, a high degree of accuracy'and a high degree of clearness of the indication are essential, which calls for a certain amount of torque.

According to the invention the problem is solved by theieature that the indication of the blood temperature is not aflected directly by the temperature-sensitive element.

mechanical device tor the supply of additional torque and a device for holding the temperature as pointer in its maximum position ve been ar- ,4 by its engagement with the pawl ii. ii is released by a second push-button i2 and An independent ranged between the pointer which indicates the blood-temperature and the temperature-sensitive element. These devices are only put into operation when a temperature reading is taken.

The invention will be described with panicular 5 reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich: i

Fig. 1 is a view in partial section of a clinical thermometer embodying the principles of the invention; V 10 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dial oi the thermometer;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3--8 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a detail ofthe mechanism of Fig. l; 15 Fig. 5 is a further detail of the mechanism oi Fig.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the thermometer of Fig. l

Fig. 7 is an elevation in partial section of a clinical thermometer embodying a modified form 20 of the invention;

1 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section substantially on the center line of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail of the mechanism of Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is a front elevationancl Fig. 11 isa side elevation of the thermometer of Fig. '7.

In Figs. 1-6, I is the bimetallic spring, which in this case is shown as a stepped torsion spring, and which is mounted in the spring holder i. 30 Spring holder 2 is mounted in a metal can t which is made of metal of high heat conductivity. The spring is connected with stall t and on the stall are mounted damping wings 5, stopdisk 6 and pointer I for the ordinary tempera- 35 ture dial. The stop 8 projects radially from the disk 6 and has a fixed relationship to the pointer l. The stall d is turned in the usual manner by the bimetallic spring l, and the pointer 11 and stop 8' are thereby adjusted .to positions corre- 4o sponding to the temperature of the spring i.

A precision reading is obtained by first clamping the staff 4 against rotation and date the angular displacement of the stop 8 by a separate indicator system. The staff may be 45 clamped by a lever 9 when the push-button it is pressed in tolatch the lever in holding position The pawl the spring I3 returns the lever 9 to its inopera- 50 tive position. The inward movement of the pushrbutton illdlsplaces the slide l4 to free the stop the pinion i9 that meshes with a gear 20. The pinion It carries the precision pointer 2| and the gear has a stop 22 that extends into the path'of movement of the stop 0 on the disk 8. The spring l'l drives the transmission gearing until the stop 22 touches the stop I, and the position of the precision pointer 2| is thus dependent solely upon the position of the stop 8, i. e. the angular displacement of the staff I. Lost motion in' the transmission gearing does not affeet the accuracyof the indication, as the gearins always works in the same direction when a reading is to be made. A lever 23 is actuated by the push-button i2 and connected to the gear wheel l6 by a link 24 to rotate the same in-opposition to the spring H to reset the precision measuring apparatus. When the push-button i2 is pressed in, the pawl ll releases the clamping lever 9 and the slide [4 is returned to its normal positionfor engagement by the stop I! to hold the spring ll under tension. The reverse rotation imparted to the gear It by the link 24 rotates the pinion I8 to return the pointer 2| to the neutral position 2ia, as shown in dotted lines in m. 2.

This type of thermometer substantially removes any possibility of a falsification of the temperature indication by a patient as is possible in the case of the mercury clinical thermometer in which the mercury column remains in its position of maximum temperature indication. When using the new thermometer, the push-button I0 is operated by the physician or nurse immediately prior to the taking of a reading, and in case of doubt, the operation can be repeated at once as a reading may be taken in a few seconds. The push-buttons may be located in countersunk openings in the casing in such manner that the precision reading can be obtained only by the use of a key which is kept by the doctor or nurse.

The complete mechanism is housed in the casing 25, which is connected to the protection cap 3 by means of the metal tube 26. Preferably this casing 28 is a thin tube of metal of relatively low heat conductivity, for instance, a nickel-iron composition. The walls of the tube should be as thin as is permissible with a view to the necessary strength. It is also possible to make the tube 28 of an insulating material of the required strength. The casing is covered by a powerful magnifying glass 2'! which magnifies the graduations and the pointers. v In order to increase the responsiveness, the cap 9 can be filled with a liquid medium, for instance with a non-corrosive oil. As the supporting bearing 29 allows only very little play to the staff, the oil is retained within the cap by the adhesion of the fluid.

As shown in Fig. 2, the primary pointer "11 moves over an inner temperature scale 36, and precision pointer 2i moves over a longer outer scale ii. The inner scale 38 is illustrated as graduated from zero to 70 0., while the precision scale is graduated from 35 to 43 C. An angular displacement of one degree on the precision dial corresponds to an angular displacement of ten degrees onthe ordinary dial. It is possible, oi course, to obtain any desired relationship between the sets of scale graduations by an appropriate selection of the gear ratios of the transmission mecha.

Since the outer scale corresponds to only a fraction of the inner temperature scale, means is pro vided to prevent an actuation of the precision indicator' when the temperature lies outside of the range of the precision scale. As shown in Figs. 8

32 extending along that portion of the disk which is alined with the clamping lever B when the disk 8 is rotated into positions corresponding to the temperature range of from 35 to 43 C. This section 32 of reducedradius permits a full movement of the clamping lever 9 into latching engagement and 4, the stop disk 6 has a circumferential cut with the pawl i I, also such movement of the slide I as will clear the stop IS. The remaining portions of the stop disk 8 which aline with the lever' 9 at temperatures outside of the range of precision readings are of such larger diameter that the slide N can not be displaced to free the stop it and the lever 9 can not be latched by the pawl This limitation of the use of the precision pointer to a definite range is not necessary in the case of thermometers for general use. When the entire disk 6 is of such radius as to permit use of the precision indicator, the graduations of the outer precision scale must be spread out over the full three hundred and sixty degrees and the markings of the scale will not be in degrees but in fractional units which depend upon the selected ratio of the transmission gearing. When theouter precision scale is divided into ten units, the transmission ratio will preferably be such that the temperature degrees are shown on the inner dial 30 and tenths of degrees are indicated by the position of the precision pointer on the outer scale. Smaller units than tenths of degrees can be indicated by graduations between themai subdivisions of the scale into ten units.

Because of its strength, the thermometer can also be used for measuring the temperature at any part of the body, when it is pressed against the part of the body, the temperature of which one wants to measure, for instance the leg of a patient, by means of a bandage. In order to increase the supply of heat, the cap, in which the bimetallic spring is housed, may, for practical reasons, be surrounded by a cover made of thin material with a high heat conductivity, for instance, sheet-silver, and having fiat ends of the same material, which can adapt themselves to the shape of the part of the body.

The bimetallic thermometer for clinical purposes can also be constructed in such a way that the surface of the dial will be parallel with the.

axially of the stafi 52 and is normally retained in outer or inoperative position by a spring it. The push-button may be pressed in to move the sliding sleeve ill to press the friction disk 43 against the bearing surface 68 by compressing the spring 39 which issomewhat stronger than the spring dd. A separation of the push-button 6B and the sleeve d'l is prevented by the enlarged extension hi9 of the push-button which also acts to release the precision measuring elements. When the sliding movement of the sleeve W is arrested by the clamping engagement of its terminal flange ll with the friction. disk 43, the spring 3912 compressed and the stop {iii moves downward to engage the lever 5i and depress the same. A stop 32 on the lever 5i is normally engaged in a recess in the arcuate gear member 53 to prevent turning movement of the latter by the spring 5d. The arcuate member 53 has teeth meshing with the pinion 55 which is fixed to the .stafl of the precision pointer 58. The arcuate This thermometer consists of the bimeradial stopid. The push-button $5 is slidable iii member or'segment 53 has a stop extension 51 that moves in a path which is intercepted by the stop M of the friction disk, and the angular movement of the segment and the precision pointer depends therefore upon the angular displacement of the stop M. When the push-button it is released, the segment is restored to its original position by the flanged extension 58 of the sleeve it which engages the projection 59 01 the segment. The lever 51 is normally held in raised position by a spring W, and the latch 52 of the lever 5i therefore snaps into the recess ofthe segment lit to retain the latter as soon as it is restored to normal position. 'This latching of the segment 53 against movement during the subsequent initial depression of the push-button it is essential since the segment 53 must not turn until the flange d7 of the sleeved! has clamped the friction disk it against movement. If desired, a latch or look may he used to retain the pushbutton tit in depressed position when a reading is to he taken.

I The invention is in no way limited to the described constructional details, and its principles allow various other constructions, when, for instance iriction disks or magnets are used instead of the cam-disk, when one push-button is used instead oi two, when the dials are made to rotate and the pointers are stationary, when air is used to damp the movement oi the spring instead of oil, or when an eddy current brake is used, and the like.

The devices for the supply of additional torque, for the transmission and for the withholding of the indication, which have here been proposed, for instance for the clinical thermometer, can, according to their principles, also he used in connection with all types of instruments, where because of the small amount of torque or other force, the same or similar conditions apply.

I claim:

l. Mechanism for indicating the movement of a measuring element of low torque comprising means for arresting the measuring element in any of its positions, an indicating element, means for imparting movement to said indicating element, and means including a stop carried by said measuring element for limiting the amount of movement of the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the measuring element is arrested.

2. Mechanism tor indicating the movement of a measuring element of lowtorque comprising means for arresting the measuring element in any of its positions, anindicating element, means for imparting movement to said indicating element,

and stop members connected with said measuring element and said indicating element, respectively, coacting to limit the amount of movement or the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the measuring element is arrested.

3. Mechanism for indicating the movement of a measuring element of low torque comprising means for arresting the measuring element in any it of its positions, an indicating element, normally inoperative means for imparting movement to said indicating element, stop means-connected with said measuring element and said movement imparting means to limit theamount or movement of the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the measuring element is arrested and means for bringing into operation both the measuring element arresting means and the indicating element-moving means.

t. A thermometer comprising a temperatureresponsive element of low torque, an indicating element, means energized independently of the temperature-responsive element for imparting motion to said indicating element, means for arresting the temperature-responsive element in any oi its positions to be indicated, and means for limiting the amount of movement imparted to said indicating element in accordance with the position at which the temperature-responsive element is arrested.

5. A thermometer comprising a temperatureresponslve element of low torque, an indicating element, normally inoperative means energized independently of the temperature-responsive element for imparting motion to said indicating element, means for arresting the temperature-responsive element in any of its positions to be indicated, means for limiting the amount of movement imparted to said indicating element in ac cordance with the position at which the temperature-responsive element is arrested, and means for rendering operative said motion-imparting means.

6. A thermometer comprising a temperatureresponsive element of low torque, an indicating element, normally inoperative means energized independently of the temperature-responsive element for imparting motion to said indicating element,- means for arresting the temperature-responsive element in any of its positions to be indicated, means for limiting the amount of movement imparted to said indicating element in accordance with the position of the temperatureresponsive element, and means for simultaneously bringing into operation the arresting means and the motion-imparting means.

7. i thermometer comprising a temperatureresponsive element oi'low torque, an indicating element, normally inoperative means energized independently of the temperature-responsive element for imparting motion to said indicating element, means for-arresting the temperature-responsive element in any of its positions to be indicated, means for limiting the amount of movement imparted to said indicating element in ac cordance with the position of the temperatureresponsive element, means for simultaneously bringing into operation the arresting means and the motion-imparting means, and means for reenergizing said motion-imparting means upon release 01' said arresting means.

8. A thermometer comprising a temperatureresponsive element of low torque, an indicating element operated by said temperature-responsive element, a second indicating element of a higher order of precision than said first-named indicating element; means operative independently of said temperature-responsive element for imparting movement to said second-named indicatin element, and means for limiting the amount of movement of the second-named indicating element in accordance with the position of said temperature-responsive element.

9. A high-precision bimetallic thermometer comprising a bimetallic temperature-responsive element, an indicating element, means for arresting the movement of the temperature-responsive element in a position to be indicated, means operative independently of said temperature-responsive element for imparting movement to said indicating element, and means for limiting the amount of movement of the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the temelement, an indicating element, means for arresting the movement of the temperature-responsive element in a position'to be indicated, means tor'imparting movement to said indicating element, means for limiting the amount of movemerit of the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the temperature-re- Y sponsive element is arrested, said motion-imparting means including means for amplifying the movement of the indicating element to'a higher order than the movement of the temperatureresponsive element.

11. A high-precision bimetallic thermometer comprising a bimetallic temperature-responsive element, an indicating element, means for arresting the movement of the temperature-remeans for imparting movement to said indicating element, and means ior'limiting the amount of movement of the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the temperatureresponsive element is arrested, saidmotion-imparting means including gearing adapted to amplify the movement of the indicating element.

12. A high-precision bimetallic thermometer comprising a bimetallic temperature-responsive amaze? element comprising a helical spring, an indicating element, means for arresting the movement of the temperature-responsive element in a. position to be indicated, means operative independently of said temperature-responsive element for imparting movement to said indicating element, and means for limiting the amount of movement at which the indicating element in accordance with the position of the temperature-responsive element is arrested.

13. A high-precision bimetallic thermometer comprising a. bimetallic temperature-responsive elementymeans for damping oscillations of the temperature-responsive element, an indicating element, means for a.rresting the movement 0! the temperature-responsive element in a position -to be indicated, means for imparting movement sponsive element, in a position to be indicated,

to said indicating element, and means for limiting the amount of movement of the indicating element in accordance with the position at which the temperature-responsive element is arrested.

14. A high-precision thermometer as claimed in claim 13, wherein said damping means comprises a casing enclosing said temperature-responsive element, and a fluid medium in said casing for damping oscillations of said element.

FRANZ GEORG BLOCH. 

